Office of the Historian

740.5/8–1351: Telegram

The Acting Secretary of State to the United States Deputy Representative on the North Atlantic Council (Spofford), at London1

confidential
u.s. eyes only
Washington, August 13, 1951—7 p. m.

Todep 88. This is State-Defense Msg.

1. Para 1, Annex A, D–D(51) 180 (List of Possible Agenda Items for North Atlantic Council Mtg in Sept)2 indicates the possibility of action by CD to include a formal approval of reorganization of polit structure NATO as an agenda item.

2. In your mtg on 26 July with SG you stated Van Zeeland had once proposed that all reorganization arrangements be reviewed by the Council, but that in your view governmental action had already been taken.3

3. We are in complete agreement your view. It is considered that D–D(51)86 has already been approved by govts as a result of the action by CD.4 Therefore further action by Council is not required. Moreover info has reached us that several nations might wish to reopen this paper, especially in regard to direct channel between Council Deps and SG when Mil Comite is not in session. This we strongly wish to [Page 244] avoid as D–D(51)86 as approved by CD is completely in accord with US position.

4. Wld like you to make every effort keep this item off agenda for either Sept or Oct mtgs. It is further desired that any reference to this subj which might be made in Deps Report to the Council of action that has been completed, be presented in such manner as to afford the least possibility of a discussion of this subj at any Council mtg.

Webb
  1. E. M. Martin drafted this telegram, together with Colonel Billups of the Department of Defense, and cleared it with Cabot.↩
  2. Not printed. For early draft of the agenda of the NAC meeting scheduled to open at Ottawa on September 15, see telegram Depto 254 from London, August 23, p. 641.↩
  3. No record of this meeting was found in the Department of State files.↩
  4. Council Deputies Document D–D(51)86 on NATO reorganization, as transmitted to Washington in telegram Depto 693, March 30, p. 107, and amended in Council Deputies meetings during April, was approved definitively in the Deputies’ 34th meeting on May 2 (Depto 879, May 3, 740.5/5–351).↩